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Written Question
Hospitality Industry: Government Assistance
Tuesday 13th February 2024

Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist the hospitality industry in the UK, following both the coronavirus pandemic and cost of living crisis; and what consideration they have given to reducing VAT to 10 per cent for the hospitality industry.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Since the start of the pandemic, over £37 billion has been provided to the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors in the form of grants, loans and tax breaks.

The Government announced a package of business rates support at Autumn Statement 2022 which means businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, including pubs, will receive a tax cut worth over £2 billion in 2023-24. The UK also has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU Member State and the second highest in the OECD, which keeps most businesses out of the VAT system altogether.

VAT is the UK's third largest tax forecast to raise £161 billion in 2023/24, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education and defence. The previous VAT relief for tourism and hospitality cost over £8 billion and reintroducing it would come at a significant further cost.


Written Question
Coronavirus Catch-up Premium: Solihull
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department made available to Solihull Council as part of the Coronavirus Catch-Up Premium Scheme.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block allocations for the 2023/24 financial year for Solihull is £38,474,528 (after recoupment and deductions).

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25. This is the highest ever level in real terms spending in schools in history.

The Government funds Local Authorities to deliver the early years entitlements through the early years block of the DSG. The published early years block allocation for the 2023/24 financial year for Solihull is £16,971,915.

The final School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocation made to Solihull Local Authority in October 2022 was £42,439. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The final COVID-19 Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020/21 for Solihull was £517,788. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils. Solihull’s indicative Recovery Premium allocation for 2022/23 is £784,379.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Solihull for 2022/23 is £976,708.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24, taking the provisional Pupil Premium allocation in 2023/24 for Solihull to £13,469,085.


Written Question
Coronavirus Catch-up Premium: Enfield
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department made available to Enfield Council as part of the Coronavirus Catch-Up Premium Scheme in each of the last ten years in real terms.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.

The Dedicated Schools Grant Early Years Block and High Needs Block allocations for financial years 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

The School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocations for 2018 to 2023 for Enfield are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-improvement-monitoring-and-brokering-grant-allocations#full-publication-update-history. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The Covid Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020 to 2021 for Enfield is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, as the evidence is clear that the disadvantaged have been impacted more than others. Enfield’s allocations for 2021 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex, the most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Enfield for 2014 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2022-to-2023.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24. The Pupil Premium allocations for 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Government publishes GDP deflators that can be used to understand the impact of inflation over time. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-march-2023-quarterly-national-accounts.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs: Enfield
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department allocated to Enfield Council through the High Needs Funding Programme in each of the last ten years in real terms.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.

The Dedicated Schools Grant Early Years Block and High Needs Block allocations for financial years 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

The School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocations for 2018 to 2023 for Enfield are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-improvement-monitoring-and-brokering-grant-allocations#full-publication-update-history. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The Covid Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020 to 2021 for Enfield is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, as the evidence is clear that the disadvantaged have been impacted more than others. Enfield’s allocations for 2021 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex, the most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Enfield for 2014 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2022-to-2023.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24. The Pupil Premium allocations for 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Government publishes GDP deflators that can be used to understand the impact of inflation over time. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-march-2023-quarterly-national-accounts.


Written Question
Free School Meals: Enfield
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has allocated to Enfield Council as part of the Universal infant free school meal funding in each of the last ten years in real terms.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.

The Dedicated Schools Grant Early Years Block and High Needs Block allocations for financial years 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

The School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocations for 2018 to 2023 for Enfield are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-improvement-monitoring-and-brokering-grant-allocations#full-publication-update-history. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The Covid Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020 to 2021 for Enfield is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, as the evidence is clear that the disadvantaged have been impacted more than others. Enfield’s allocations for 2021 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex, the most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Enfield for 2014 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2022-to-2023.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24. The Pupil Premium allocations for 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Government publishes GDP deflators that can be used to understand the impact of inflation over time. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-march-2023-quarterly-national-accounts.


Written Question
Pre-school Education: Enfield
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department allocated to Enfield Council through the Early Years Programme in each of the last ten years in real terms.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.

The Dedicated Schools Grant Early Years Block and High Needs Block allocations for financial years 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

The School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocations for 2018 to 2023 for Enfield are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-improvement-monitoring-and-brokering-grant-allocations#full-publication-update-history. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The Covid Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020 to 2021 for Enfield is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, as the evidence is clear that the disadvantaged have been impacted more than others. Enfield’s allocations for 2021 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex, the most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Enfield for 2014 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2022-to-2023.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24. The Pupil Premium allocations for 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Government publishes GDP deflators that can be used to understand the impact of inflation over time. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-march-2023-quarterly-national-accounts.


Written Question
Schools: Enfield
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department made available to Enfield Council as part of the School Improvement, Monitoring and Brokering Grant in each of the last ten years in real terms.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.

The Dedicated Schools Grant Early Years Block and High Needs Block allocations for financial years 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

The School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocations for 2018 to 2023 for Enfield are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-improvement-monitoring-and-brokering-grant-allocations#full-publication-update-history. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The Covid Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020 to 2021 for Enfield is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, as the evidence is clear that the disadvantaged have been impacted more than others. Enfield’s allocations for 2021 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex, the most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Enfield for 2014 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2022-to-2023.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24. The Pupil Premium allocations for 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Government publishes GDP deflators that can be used to understand the impact of inflation over time. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-march-2023-quarterly-national-accounts.


Written Question
Pupil Premium: Enfield
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what allocation of funding through Pupil Premium was given to Enfield Council for each year in real terms since 2010.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding in education to achieve that.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23. This is an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.

Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.

The Dedicated Schools Grant Early Years Block and High Needs Block allocations for financial years 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

The School Improvement and Monitoring Grant allocations for 2018 to 2023 for Enfield are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-improvement-monitoring-and-brokering-grant-allocations#full-publication-update-history. This was a ringfenced grant designed to support councils to monitor performance of maintained schools, broker school improvement provision, and intervene as appropriate. The functions this grant covered are now funded from maintained schools’ budgets.

The Covid Catch Up Premium allocation for 2020 to 2021 for Enfield is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations. The Catch Up Premium was followed by the Recovery Premium, which is worth over £1.3 billon for state funded schools in England, across the 2021/22 and 2023/24 academic years. The Recovery Premium was, and continues to be, targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, as the evidence is clear that the disadvantaged have been impacted more than others. Enfield’s allocations for 2021 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex, the most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

Since September 2014, all pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England's state funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are funded through a direct grant to schools. In June 2022, the Government announced an increase to £2.41 per pupil in UIFSM funding. This was uplifted from £2.34 in June 2022 and backdated to 1 April 2022 in recognition of the cost pressures schools were facing. The UIFSM provisional allocation for Enfield for 2014 to 2023 are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2022-to-2023.

The Pupil Premium provides additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24. The Pupil Premium allocations for 2014 to 2024 for Enfield are available in the links in the attached annex. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Government publishes GDP deflators that can be used to understand the impact of inflation over time. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-march-2023-quarterly-national-accounts.


Written Question
Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
Monday 5th September 2022

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide lateral flow test kits to (a) staff and (b) pupils in education settings in the autumn term.

Answered by Will Quince

Public health advice is that testing is no longer advised for pupils, students, and staff in education and childcare settings. The success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme means that immunity levels are high. Therefore, testing takes a less important role in preventing serious illness. As such, the majority of free testing ended on 1 April.

The most effective protection against severe disease from COVID-19 for everyone, including those at higher risk from COVID-19, is to get vaccinated. The vaccine offer remains open to those who have yet to receive their primary course or where eligible, a booster. Additional protection is also available for some at-risk groups, through further boosters, antivirals, and therapeutics.

Most infectious diseases in education and childcare settings, including COVID-19, should now be managed by following the advice in UKHSA’s updated health protection in education and childcare settings guidance, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities. Students and staff are encouraged to follow UKHSA’s advice for those who have symptoms of COVID-19, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19.

The department has also updated its emergency planning and response guidance for educational settings. This sets out how education and childcare settings should plan for and deal with emergencies, including the possibility of future significant public health incidents. The guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings.

If pupils, students, and staff in education and childcare settings wish to continue testing, they will be able to access test kits through the private market. They can find a list of private providers for COVID-19 testing at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing.

The government does not endorse or recommend any private providers. Lateral flow tests are also available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets, including online.


Written Question
Schools: Carbon Dioxide
Friday 22nd April 2022

Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their guidance to keep windows in classrooms open to improve ventilation, what assessment they have made of (1) the amount of extra carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere because of higher energy use in all schools, and (2) the average increase in carbon dioxide emissions in (a) primary schools, and (b) secondary schools.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has provided guidance to settings on how to manage ventilation, in addition to providing over 360,000 CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers in England. As well as helping to identify areas that are poorly ventilated, CO2 monitors can be useful to help education providers balance good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm.

Ensuring adequate ventilation does not need to be at the expense of keeping classrooms warm. Education providers do not need to keep windows fully open at all times. Opening windows regularly for 10 minutes, or a small amount continuously, can still improve ventilation substantially. The department’s guidance has also been clear that when CO2 monitors indicate good ventilation, there is no need to open additional windows. The guidance can be found in full here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-ventilation-of-indoor-spaces-to-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus.

Maintaining adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual education providers. The department does not hold the information requested on the increase in energy usage or carbon emissions due to opening windows. This will vary according to a range of factors, including how individual education providers manage ventilation in their estate.